Bones sometimes develop at different rates, leaving some bones disproportionately shorter than other bones. Alternatively, injury may leave a bone shorter than its original length. Such a condition may lead to difficulties in a patient's movement. For instance, a patient with a shortened tibia may need special shoes for assistance in walking. An underdeveloped (e.g., micrognathic) jaw may cause difficulties in chewing or breathing (e.g., obstructive sleep apnea). Moreover, deformations are often psychologically distressing to the patient, especially when the deformations occur in craniofacial bones.
One procedure for lengthening bones is referred to as osteodistraction. According to an osteodistraction procedure, an abnormally short bone is cut into two segments. The two segments are secured to a brace that permits the segments to be drawn apart. New bone then grows in the space between the separated bone segments, and eventually couples the two segments together into a lengthened bone. When the separated bone segments have been fully fused in this manner, the brace may be removed.
Osteodistraction procedures often involve placement of the bracing components into a patient using fairly invasive surgical techniques. Such techniques can lead to heavy scarring over the site of the surgical incision. In turn, scarring can cause psychological trauma to the patient, especially in instances where the scaring occurs in the facial area.